Top Golf Neyland

[lukeneyland]

There aren't 102,455 seats in Neyland Stadium. That's a created number to represent a total sold out environment to include: (players, coaches, cheerleaders, ticket takers, ushers, concession workers, custodial workers, police, EMS, etc.). Not counting the skyboxes there are a little over 96,000 seats in Neyland.

So that means going to chair backs would reduce the actual capacity towards the mid 80’s. That’ll make everything that I tried to describe even worse

 

[lukeneyland]

More comfortable chairs?

We already lost the capacity war.

It’s going to really negatively effect the atmosphere. There will be a day when we are good again and we’re gonna ask ourselves why in the hell we did that to Neyland.

 

[Boca Vol]

So that means going to chair backs would reduce the actual capacity towards the mid 80’s. That’ll make everything that I tried to describe even worse

I believe DeerPark said if they went to all chairbacks it would reduce capacity to about 80K.

 

[lukeneyland]

I believe DeerPark said if they went to all chairbacks it would reduce capacity to about 80K.

Gross that’d be depressing

 

[Toujours Pret]

Gross that’d be depressing

May actually make people more willing to go.

 

[lukeneyland]

May actually make people more willing to go.

People already are especially if we put a half way decent team out there

 

[Boca Vol]

Gross that’d be depressing

To give some perspective, the top 14 rows of the N. Upper Endzone (all chairbacks) has about 5230 seats. The top 14 rows of the S. Upper Endzone (all bleachers) has about 7528 seats. That's 2300 more seats in for pretty-much the same footprint. Factor that for the whole stadium and it would be quite a reduction in capacity.

 

[kcvols1]

I believe DeerPark said if they went to all chairbacks it would reduce capacity to about 80K.

That’s bigger than all but 3 NFL stadiums;

MetLife, FedEx, and Lambeau.

I mean, that’s plenty big.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

That’s bigger than all but 3 NFL stadiums;

MetLife, FedEx, and Lambeau.

I mean, that’s plenty big.

That depends on our program goals. Here are some possibilities:

1. Be the Biggest - we had our heyday on this one (back in '96), and have since fallen behind the leaders (Michigan, Penn State, A&M, Ohio State). Don't know if there's a path to get back to the top even if that were our goal, but chairbacks certainly wouldn't help.
2. Best Fan Experience - chairbacks would be super-nice for everyone upgrading from bench seats.
3. Home Crowd Advantage - on the face of it, reduced attendance would seem to hurt crowd noise. But noise is a complicated thing, would have to do some modelling...it is possible (not likely, but possible) that 80,000 sound-energy-generators (you and me), well placed, could focus sound better onto the field than 102,455 where the sound waves cancel each other somewhat. I mean, Arrowhead Stadium is objectively the loudest venue in the US, at 142 decibels...with just 76k seating. So it's complicated. Call this one an unknown, but leaning toward it doesn't help.
4. Shift focus to TV audience - it is already true that TV viewers outnumber in-person viewers significantly. Like, maybe as much as 50 to 1. The 2019 Vols-UGa game had 5.77m viewers; that's 56 folks watching through a flat screen for every butt in a seat at Neyland, even if Neyland were filled to capacity (it wasn't). So some might say that the in-house crowd is just window dressing, of sorts, that the real audience for the game is watching via (almost always) ESPN-owned broadcasting. Chairbacks would be absolutely fine, here.

See what I mean? The answer really does depend on your objective. I personally am a huge fan of #3, the hometown advantage the stadium and we give our lads. I just don't know if we hurt it significantly by adding chairback seating. I don't mind us not pushing for #1 any more, especially since we can always agree to another Battle at Bristol if the record for attendance ever seems to be under attack. Having a "mega-stadium" nearby certainly does ease this pressure, hehe.

All in all, for me, I think adding chairbacks would not be such a bad thing, IF we can get some sound engineers to figure out ways to make 80,000 in the future sound like 102,455 do today.

 

[kcvols1]

:
3. Home Crowd Advantage - on the face of it, reduced attendance would seem to hurt crowd noise. But noise is a complicated thing, would have to do some modelling...it is possible (not likely, but possible) that 80,000 sound-energy-generators (you and me), well placed, could focus sound better onto the field than 102,455 where the sound waves cancel each other somewhat. I mean, Arrowhead Stadium is objectively the loudest venue in the US, at 142 decibels...with just 76k seating. So it's complicated. Call this one an unknown, but leaning toward it doesn't help.
...
All in all, for me, I think adding chairbacks would not be such a bad thing, IF we can get some sound engineers to figure out ways to make 80,000 in the future sound like 102,455 do today.

Great points, all.

Of the dozens of fields/arenas in which I’ve watched sports over the years, one thing Neyland has that is unique is its depth and pitch angle. River-based tailgating is also awesome, but I digress.

Neyland’s shape always makes me feel like I’m sitting inside of a 14” Rockford Fosgate woofer, right before someone puts in the disc for DJ Magic Mike. My suspicion is that given something to cheer about, 85,000 fans could produce something exceeding a jet engine in that place about as easily as 102,455 could.

 

[dobre_shunka]

Great points, all.
Neyland’s shape always makes me feel like I’m sitting inside of a 14” Rockford Fosgate woofer, right before someone puts in the disc for DJ Magic Mike. My suspicion is that given something to cheer about, 85,000 fans could produce something exceeding a jet engine in that place about as easily as 102,455 could.

I read an article that analyzed various stadiums and their noise levels and it concluded stadiums with the shape of Neyland (a cone similar to a speaker) actually direct sound upward and away from the field. Having flat walls inside a stadium similar to Florida give a surface for sound waves to reflect from and help contain crowd noise in the stadium.

The one design element Neyland has to magnify sound is the overhang at the top of the north endzone which also helps reflect sound back into the stadium. However the current renovation plans call for removing it

 

[lukeneyland]

That depends on our program goals. Here are some possibilities:

1. Be the Biggest - we had our heyday on this one (back in '96), and have since fallen behind the leaders (Michigan, Penn State, A&M, Ohio State). Don't know if there's a path to get back to the top even if that were our goal, but chairbacks certainly wouldn't help.
2. Best Fan Experience - chairbacks would be super-nice for everyone upgrading from bench seats.
3. Home Crowd Advantage - on the face of it, reduced attendance would seem to hurt crowd noise. But noise is a complicated thing, would have to do some modelling...it is possible (not likely, but possible) that 80,000 sound-energy-generators (you and me), well placed, could focus sound better onto the field than 102,455 where the sound waves cancel each other somewhat. I mean, Arrowhead Stadium is objectively the loudest venue in the US, at 142 decibels...with just 76k seating. So it's complicated. Call this one an unknown, but leaning toward it doesn't help.
4. Shift focus to TV audience - it is already true that TV viewers outnumber in-person viewers significantly. Like, maybe as much as 50 to 1. The 2019 Vols-UGa game had 5.77m viewers; that's 56 folks watching through a flat screen for every butt in a seat at Neyland, even if Neyland were filled to capacity (it wasn't). So some might say that the in-house crowd is just window dressing, of sorts, that the real audience for the game is watching via (almost always) ESPN-owned broadcasting. Chairbacks would be absolutely fine, here.

See what I mean? The answer really does depend on your objective. I personally am a huge fan of #3, the hometown advantage the stadium and we give our lads. I just don't know if we hurt it significantly by adding chairback seating. I don't mind us not pushing for #1 any more, especially since we can always agree to another Battle at Bristol if the record for attendance ever seems to be under attack. Having a "mega-stadium" nearby certainly does ease this pressure, hehe.

All in all, for me, I think adding chairbacks would not be such a bad thing, IF we can get some sound engineers to figure out ways to make 80,000 in the future sound like 102,455 do today.

One of the reasons that the Chiefs have such a loud stadium is the air humidity levels. Sound travels better in air with a low degree or humidity. Knoxville is a pretty damn humid place, if we took 20k seats out I don’t think we could come close to anything like we’ve done in the past. To sort of reinforce my point. Death Valley in Baton Rouge is utterly deafening, we all know that, but oddly enough their max decibel level is about 10 or so less than what the Chiefs have posted. I don’t think their is any explanation for that other humidity. LSU fans are as noisy as it gets in my opinion, they’ve got a huge stadium and it’s in their culture to get loud. In my experience Death Valley hasn’t suffered from gentrification like Neyland and Bryant Denny have.
I’m rambling but Bama fans suck, I went to a game a few years ago against us and their noise level is pathetic for such a successful team. I remember thinking to myself how loud Neyland would be if the roles were switched. God I love Neyland Stadium

 

[lukeneyland]

I read an article that analyzed various stadiums and their noise levels and it concluded stadiums with the shape of Neyland (a cone similar to a speaker) actually direct sound upward and away from the field. Having flat walls inside a stadium similar to Florida give a surface for sound waves to reflect from and help contain crowd noise in the stadium.

The one design element Neyland has to magnify sound is the overhang at the top of the north endzone which also helps reflect sound back into the stadium. However the current renovation plans call for removing it

I agree with you and that article. Our stadium isn’t acoustically as bad as Michigan or Texas. But it’s not as favorably designed as teams like Florida or Washington. Another reason I’m so vehemently against capacity reduction

 

[kcvols1]

The one design element Neyland has to magnify sound is the overhang at the top of the north endzone which also helps reflect sound back into the stadium. However the current renovation plans call for removing it

Too many cheap seats in the dry?

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

I agree with you and that article. Our stadium isn’t acoustically as bad as Michigan or Texas. But it’s not as favorably designed as teams like Florida or Washington. Another reason I’m so vehemently against capacity reduction

You want noise in Neyland? Get rid of the giant TV. That thing sucks the energy out of the stadium between every play

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

double post

 

[lukeneyland]

You want noise in Neyland? Get rid of the giant TV. That thing sucks the energy out of the stadium between every play

I like the way you think

 

[Toujours Pret]

You want noise in Neyland? Get rid of the giant TV. That thing sucks the energy out of the stadium between every play

Should probably only put games on the radio as well. That'll bring the fire back.

 

[HooahVol]

You guys make a good point on the aisle size. Here is a picture I found online showing the section already with stadium seating:

And here is a picture of the bleachers:

It is hard to tell but still seems doable. Remove the metal bleacher (it is now where your feet will be) and put the stadium seat nest to the riser behind it. I am going to go the spring game and will take a tape measure just out of curiosity.

 

[Wireless1]

Back on Topic, went yesterday with my son. Some note for others attending. They supply the clubs SW, PW, & 9 iron. It's using the camera system and if you hit the ball too high or too low out of the camera vision it will not register - I'd have killed it with a knock down 7 iron.
If scoring matters for you hit a ball see where it lands and ends up, then correct - just like if your sights are off on a gun. After you hit 5 balls- Stop, the camera will record your 6th ball as the first for the next guy. Ours kept freezing up, they can reset it if that happens, get one of the staff to help.
That being said it was a blast to be hitting golf balls in Neyland. I apologize to the person in section C about row 8 for the dent I put in your seat.

 

[TrippieRedd]

Autzen Stadium is one of the loudest in the country and their seating Capacity is like 54K.

Comparing the two

Autzen = 127 Decibel
Neyland = 114 Decibel

That information was from a 247 article. Anyways, it’s definitely doable.

 

[stevenrich2003]

Where is Tyler Bray when we need him. If this was top bottle we would be a shoe in!

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

Autzen Stadium is one of the loudest in the country and their seating Capacity is like 54K.

Comparing the two

Autzen = 127 Decibel
Neyland = 114 Decibel

That information was from a 247 article. Anyways, it’s definitely doable.

I went to the game when we played out there. It was noisy. I don't remember if they had a big TV although I am sure they did. That place will be as quiet as Monday church if they have the kind of impotent seasons we have had. They are the epitome of bandwagon fans

 

[CAVPUT]

Probably a better utilization for the venue to just do this year round.

Ouch!

 

[fryeguy93]

That depends on our program goals. Here are some possibilities:

1. Be the Biggest - we had our heyday on this one (back in '96), and have since fallen behind the leaders (Michigan, Penn State, A&M, Ohio State). Don't know if there's a path to get back to the top even if that were our goal, but chairbacks certainly wouldn't help.
2. Best Fan Experience - chairbacks would be super-nice for everyone upgrading from bench seats.
3. Home Crowd Advantage - on the face of it, reduced attendance would seem to hurt crowd noise. But noise is a complicated thing, would have to do some modelling...it is possible (not likely, but possible) that 80,000 sound-energy-generators (you and me), well placed, could focus sound better onto the field than 102,455 where the sound waves cancel each other somewhat. I mean, Arrowhead Stadium is objectively the loudest venue in the US, at 142 decibels...with just 76k seating. So it's complicated. Call this one an unknown, but leaning toward it doesn't help.
4. Shift focus to TV audience - it is already true that TV viewers outnumber in-person viewers significantly. Like, maybe as much as 50 to 1. The 2019 Vols-UGa game had 5.77m viewers; that's 56 folks watching through a flat screen for every butt in a seat at Neyland, even if Neyland were filled to capacity (it wasn't). So some might say that the in-house crowd is just window dressing, of sorts, that the real audience for the game is watching via (almost always) ESPN-owned broadcasting. Chairbacks would be absolutely fine, here.

See what I mean? The answer really does depend on your objective. I personally am a huge fan of #3, the hometown advantage the stadium and we give our lads. I just don't know if we hurt it significantly by adding chairback seating. I don't mind us not pushing for #1 any more, especially since we can always agree to another Battle at Bristol if the record for attendance ever seems to be under attack. Having a "mega-stadium" nearby certainly does ease this pressure, hehe.

All in all, for me, I think adding chairbacks would not be such a bad thing, IF we can get some sound engineers to figure out ways to make 80,000 in the future sound like 102,455 do today.

Everyone thinks seat width is a huge problem but leg and footroom may be worse. Widening the seats or installing chairbacks would do nothing to improve this and would likely make the legroom issue worse in most area. Maybe it's because I'm over 6' tall but my lack of leg room is a bigger problem than my fat arse.

Maybe the leg room would feel greater with wider seats (manspreading?)

I do agree with many that the big screen does sap the energy out of the crowd